Brush and process for cleaning telephone dials



July 21, 1942 H. CAVE 2,290,534

BRUSH AND PROCESS FOR CLEANING TELEPHONE DIALS Filed Aug. 15, 1940 Patented July 21, 1942 BRUSH AND PROCESS FOR CLEANING TELEPHONE DIALS Henry Cave, Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Fuller Brush Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 15, 1940', Serial No. 352,758

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a brush especially constructed for the purpose of cleaning the dials of automatic telephones, and a process embodying its use whereby the dials of telephones may be effectively cleaned in a convenient and efficient manner.

One form of brush embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the invention may be effected, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved brush.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the brush partially extended from the hood.

Figure 3 is a view in axial section through the lower portion of the brush with the latter eX- tended.

Figure 4 is a view illustrating the parts separated ready for assembly and illustrating the manner of construction.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the base of an automatic telephone illustrating the manner of use of the brush.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating a modified form of the invention showing the brush housed within its hood.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the brush eX- tended.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 6 denotes the handle of my improved brush that may be constructed of any suitable material as wood, or a composition of matter, the handle having a hole 1 for the shank 8 of a brush which is preferably formed of twisted wire with a loop 9 at its end within which a bunch of bristles I is secured by means of twisting, as shown in Figure 4. A hood II is formed to receive the bristles l0 that are doubled over the end of the loop 9 when the bristles are drawn into the hood by movement of the latter along the stem or shank 8. Said stem is secured in said hole in the handle in any suitable manner to prevent it being withdrawn, so that the hood may he slid along the stem to inclose the brush therein or to project it therefrom. In its housed condition the hood is in the position shown in Figure 1 with the end of the brush projecting slightly beyond a lip l2 on the edge of the hood.

This brush I0 is of a diameter substantially that of the holes 13 in the dial M of an automatic telephone, said dial being shown herein as mounted upon a dial base l secured to the top of a telephone base IS, the dial base having the usual stop finger I! for control of the finger of the user of the dial in the operation of the latter, the

stop finger serving a useful purpose in the operation of my improved brush. The lip l2 of the hood I l is slightly larger than the holes I3 in the dial l4 so that the lips will rest upon the edges of said holes and the brush being of substantially the size of the holes will form a guide as an assistance in the application of the brush to the dial for the purpose of cleaning the surface l8 bearing the indicia used in operating the dial to call a subscriber.

In the use of the brush for a dial cleaning operation the slightly protruding brush end, as shown in Figure 1, is inserted in the hole 13 close against the back of the stop finger l1. Downward pressure is then applied to the handle 6 which extends the brush into contact with the surface 18 hearing the numerals or other indicia. The plate or dial i4 is then swung around by means of the brush handle until the hood H strikes the stop finger H. A reverse movement is then given to the brush and the operation is repeated until the surface I8 is satisfactorily cleaned, the construction of the brush being such that a few reciprocating movements of the plate M will be required to effect its purpose.

In the structure shown in Figs 6 and 7 the handle 6 has a recess containing a shell l9 to which the inner end of the shank 20 of the brush is secured, the brush 2| being secured to the opposite end of the shank in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore described with respect to the brush H). A hood 22 fits within the shell l9, being slidably mounted therein and being forced outwardly as by a spring 23, the hood sliding freely within the shell I9. The shank 20 of the brush extends through a hole in the bottom of the hood and a rib 24 'is provided to engage the edges of the holes l'3 in the dial plate 14.

In the operation of this structure the brush is in the normal condition shown in Fig. 6, being housed within the hood 22. To use the brush the end of the hood is placed within the hole l3 and pressure upon the handle 6 causes the hood to retreat within the shell 19 to the position shown in Fig. '7 and with the brush 2| in contact with the indicia surface I8 of the dial.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the .best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A device for cleaning the dials of automatic telephones, said device comprising a handle, a brush structure having a brush head and a shank with the shank secured to the handle, a hood supported on the shank and movable toward and from the handle and normally inclosing a major portion of the brush, the outer open end of the hood when at its limit of movement away from the handle being positioned relative to the outer end of the brush as to present only sufiicient brush projection from the hood whereby the bristles of said brush at the projecting end are restrained from separation, the projecting end of the brush having a diameter and length to unobstructively enter a selected hole in said dial while at the same time acting as a centering guide for accurate positioning of the hood relative to a hole to efiect such unobstructed entry of the brush when moved by pressure of the handle into contact with the indicia bearing sur- .face of the dial for oscillating movement thereon. 2 A device for cleaning the dials of automatic -telephones, said device comprising a handle, a brush structure having a brush head and a shank with the shank secured to the handle, a hood supported on the shank and movable toward and from the handle and normally inclosing a major portion of the brush, a lip at the mouth of the hood slightly larger than the diameter of the holes in said dial to afford a support for the hood upon the dial without entry into the openings therein, the outer open end of the hood when at its limit of movement away from the handle being positioned relative to the outer end of the brush as to present only sulficient brush projection from the hood whereby the bristles of said brush at the projecting end are restrained from separation, the projecting end of the brush having a diameter and length to unobstructively enter the holes in said dial while at the same time acting as a centering guide for accurate positioning of the hood relative to a hole to effect such unobstructive entry of the brush when moved by pressure of the handle into contact with the indicia bearing surface of the dial for oscillating movement thereon.

3. A device for cleaning the perforated dials of automatic telephones, said device comprising a handle having a recess in one end thereof, a brush structure having a brush head and a shank fixedly secured to the handle within the recess with the brush partially projecting outwardly of the recess, a hood slidably mounted on the shank within the recess and inclosing the brush head, the outer open end of the hood when at its limit of movement away from the handle being positloned relative to the outer end of the brush as to present only sufiicient brush projection from the hood whereby the bristles of said brush at the projecting end are restrained from separation, the projecting end of the brush being of a diameter and length to effect an unobstructed entry of the brush into the openings of the dial of a telephone, and means on said hood to engage the edge of an opening in said dial when positioned by said brush to effect inward movement of the hood by pressure applied to said handle.

HENRY CAVE. 

